


Brighter than sunlight

by orphan_account



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Aliens, Lawyer!Suho, M/M, MAMA Powers, Science Fiction, SuBaek, pinkhaired!Baekhyun, sad excuse for a Sci Fi fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-12 04:45:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9055942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Joonmyun was holding a bunny slipper when it happened.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt #165 from the [SciFi & Fantasy EXO FicFest](http://sff-exo.livejournal.com/) \- like half a year late, but finally done!

Joonmyun was holding a bunny slipper when it happened.

A joke gift from his best friend Lu Han, who lived to embarrass him at every opportunity, but a gift that Joonmyun secretly adored. And he was just about to tug it on, having toed off his work loafers, glad to be home for the weekend after another grueling day at the office.

Instead, a loud crash from somewhere in the vicinity of his apartment’s ceiling has him jumping out of his skin. A paralyzing fear striking him at the sight of a glowing orb of light slowly descending from the rafters.

He’s struck still and dumb by the silvery white sphere, pulsing intensely, illuminating everything in Joonmyun’s still-dark living room. It descends to hover over his couch as he continues to stare, barely breathing, horrified eyes fixed on its movements.

With a loud pop that sends Joonmyun practically careening into his closet, the orb of light transforms, beaming down like a single spotlight, and he watches, still too terrified to scream or move, as a figure materializes in its center.

His heart is pounding a mile a minute, and he feels an overwhelming urge to run when a small figure appears, landing lightly on his couch, its arms and legs spread in a dramatic gesture, head thrown back.

The orb slowly fades from around it, and Joonmyun registers that the creature emits its own soft glow. It slowly opens its eyes and takes in its surroundings, expression curious and suddenly perking up when it spots Joonmyun cowering in the corner. 

“Greetings, human companion!” it bellows, arms still spread like a demented superhero.

“ _What the hell?_ ”

“Have no fear, puny human! I am royal Baekhyun, third prince of EXO planet. I have arriv-… _oww_!” The slipper Joonmyun volleys at the creature bounces off its forehead, falling to the floor.

“ _Wait! I come in peace! Do not…-oww_!”

The second slipper, pulled from Joonmyun’s foot, upsets the creature’s balance and sends it over the back of the couch, where it falls with a third, muffled ‘ _oww_.’

Joonmyun acts fast, picking up the first slipper he threw and flipping the light switch on. He’s amazed when a quick glance at his ceiling reveals no damage.

“Don’t move, whoever you are!” he threatens as he inches toward the couch, shoe over his head. “If you agree to leave now, I won’t call the police!”

All he gets back is a quiet whine that sounds a lot like another ‘ _oww_.’

Peering over the couch’s back hesitantly, Joonmyun gets his first good look at the creature, sprawled out on the floor and glaring balefully up at him.

“Cruel and unnecessary, human,” it whines, rubbing at its forehead. Joonmyun notes that its faint glow isn’t visible with the lights on.

Up close, he can see that the figure very nearly resembles a young man. He takes in a small frame and a delicate, pretty face, a soft mouth, turned down in a pout, and droopy, sharp eyes, framed by what appears to be the creatures most non-human feature: a mop of bright pink hair.

The creature is dressed in an elaborate dark blue robe which shimmers softly. It had glowed in the dark like the rest of him.

“Who are you? _What_ are you? And why are you here? _Answer me!_ ” Joonmyun demands, brandishing the shoe as fiercely as he can.  

“I am royal Baekhyun, third prince of EXO planet. I have arrived on your Earth for my mandatory extraterrestrial force training. I come in peace to learn your ways and test my survival skills among the humans,” the creature intones, like its reciting from memory.

“ _Wait! Please_ _do not throw more playthings at me!_ ”

“It’s not-…it’s a shoe,” Joonmyun answers weakly, heart still hammering in his chest. He slowly lowers the slipper, mind scrambling for an explanation, too shocked to process.

“Hmm, then why is it so fluffy looking? Tacky,” the creature sniffs, eyeing it with distaste.

Joonmyun doesn’t have any room in him to be offended, too busy losing his grip on reality.

This has to be a joke or a hallucination. Maybe he fell asleep at his desk again and will be shaken awake by his assistant, cajoling him to go home.

“No, I am real,” the figure chirps when Joonmyun voices his thoughts, scrambling to get up. “Do not fear me. I come in peace and under strict orders not to harm any human while I remain on your planet. Rest assured EXO’s inhabitants are a peaceful, friendly people…Well, except for Kyungsoo,” the alien stage whispers, “ _but please do not tell him I said that!_ ”

It — Baekhyun — beams widely and reaches a hand out, fingers long and thin.

“I am very pleased to meet you, human companion, and I know you are pleased to be chosen to aid me in my training, but contain your joy. If you teach me well, I will see to it that you are compensated handsomely at the end of my program.”

“Your what- Are you an…an alien? Is that why you’re glowing??” Joonmyun blurts out, staring at the creature’s outstretched hand, feeling like he’s hyperventilating. The young man-thing-creature pauses for a minute then rolls its eyes, seemingly put out that Joonmyun isn’t ecstatic at its words.   

“Yes, I believe that is your people’s word for us. And I glow because I am royal,” the real-life _freaking_ _alien_ answers, chest puffing proudly. “Every member of EXO’s royal court has special abilities. My ability is light.”

“And, what? You’re visiting Earth and want to crash on my couch?”

“…what is a couch?”

“ _Why are you in my apartment?_ ” Joonmyun hears himself screech.  

“You have been carefully observed-” _Oh dear God_. “-and chosen as the best fit for my human companion. Congratulations! You do not seem to be aware, but it is an honor to host EXO royalty. Only the best in the universe are selected.” The alien replies cheerily, “And apparently the cutest too.”

It winks, hand still stretched toward Joonmyun, who takes it after a moment. The fingers feel warm and solid in his own. _Definitely not a hallucination._

“My name is Joonmyun,” he offers slowly, and the creature beams at him, eyes crinkling.   

He’s realized fairly quickly his options are limited. It’s not like he can go to the police. No one would believe him.

Besides the pink hair and the barely-noticeable glow, “Baekhyun” looks like a regular person. But it’s also obvious that he isn’t. Joonmyun did just watch him materialize out of a ball of light in his living room.

And despite the ridiculousness of the situation, he feels a weird sense of obligation.

If there is one thing Kim Joonmyun is good at, it’s meeting expectations. It’s a skill that’s been drilled into him. He’s spent years never quite meeting Mr. and Mrs. Kim’s expectations for a perfect son. He’s become someone who’s carefully programed to understand what people want, put other’s needs before his own — even, as it turns out, if the needs are those of a potentially terrifying alien killer.

 _If only his parents could see him now_ , he thinks, feeling like the hapless human victim in a paranormal drama as he plasters on his signature Joonmyun-smile.

“W-welcome to Earth, Baekhyun-ssi,” he says lamely, giving a polite bow, still holding the alien’s hand. “Would you like some dinner?”

 

“…my brother Dae calls me Baekkie. He is the first prince and the future heir to EXO’s throne. He can manipulate electricity. And my brother Soo — he is the second prince — he calls me Baekhyunnie. Except when he is angry with me. He is angry with me often. He can manipulate solid matter. When he is angry with me, he-” 

Baekhyun’s words cut off abruptly, his eyes staring into space and body shuddering at what Joonmyun guesses is an intense, sudden memory.

He pauses with his fork halfway to his mouth, on edge and waiting for the boy to continue.

“His wrath is strong,” the alien finishes solemnly, glancing back at Joonmyun and then down at his meal, attacking it with a renowned vigor.

Joonmyun watches, still completely overwhelmed by the fact that an alien, _a potentially terrifying alien killer_ , is sitting in his kitchen.

Baekhyun’s rant fills him with a strange, irrational sense of relief that it turned out to be _this_ particular alien he’s stuck with and not the horrifying Kyungsoo creature.

 _Guess he lucked out_ , Joonmyun thinks and then shushes the small voice in his head that tells him he has officially lost his mind.

   

On the whole, making dinner with Baekhyun is a harrowing experience.

The alien practically burst with excitement at Joonmyun’s offer, smile going square and megawatt as he barrels the elder into a hug, chattering nonstop about “first human sustenance” and “best companions forever.”

Although he still hasn’t officially said anything about helping Baekhyun, the alien acts as if he’d accepted, as if he’s completely comfortable around Joonmyun after meeting him twenty minutes ago.

And he realizes pretty quickly that a comfortable Baekhyun is more akin to a spoiled, overgrown puppy than a terrifying alien killer.

He’s underfoot as Joonmyun prepares their meal, sniffing at the salad vegetables suspiciously and overzealously stirring the pasta when Joonmyun finally gives him something to do.

He’s particularly fascinated by the microwave and the bulb inside, eyes wide and nose pressed against the plastic as he watches the pasta sauce heat up.

It’s weird, but Joonmyun does have the satisfaction of watching the alien almost jump out of his skin and scramble away when the timer goes off with a loud beep. He supposes a warning would have been the politest response but decides to call it payback for Baekhyun’s slipper comment earlier.

Setting the table, the alien spends an extra five minutes playing with the shiny silverware, watching the light bounce off each piece and nearly poking himself in the eye with a fork.

When they finally start their meal, Baekhyun stuffs his face at a terrifyingly rapid speed, clumsy with his utensils. All the while bombarding Joonmyun with so many questions — about his life, about his work, _about his ugly shoes_ — that the man barely touches his own meal, keeping his hands free in anticipation of the alien chocking at any moment.

But his worry seems unwarranted: Baekhyun makes it all the way through the pasta before anything drastic happens.

It’s halfway into the salad that the alien pulls the fork out of his mouth and immediately drops it with a pathetic, garbled noise, hands coming up to claw at his throat, eyes darting wildly to Joonmyun.

“ _Dear Tree of Life!_ What is this disgusting thing?” the alien wails.

“What? It-…It’s just a cucumber!” Joonmyun stutters, startled by the reaction.

He wonders with a growing sense of panic if Baekhyun might be allergic to cucumbers, but the alien doesn’t seem to be showing any drastic symptoms.

He watches helplessly as Baekhyun continues to sputter, eyes rolling into the back of his head, making a few more desperate motions with his hands before hacking the vegetable up like a cat. Much to Joonmyun’s immediate disgust.

Baekhyun scoots the plate far away from him, tongue hanging out of his mouth unattractively, and any panic and concern Joonmyun may have been feeling quickly dissipate. 

“Never again,” the pink-haired creature gasps hoarsely, throwing his head on the table.     

“Okay. So you don’t like cucumbers,” Joonmyun huffs, balling the hacked up piece in a napkin, rolling his eyes at the unnecessary dramatics. “Noted.”

  

Once they move past the cucumber episode and finish their meal, Joonmyun sits Baekhyun on the couch — _“Yes, THIS is what a couch is. No! Please don’t lick it. Just listen-“_ — grilling him for information.

He learns quite a few things about Baekhyun, like that he’s slightly younger _(“Well, I would be in the way you humans measure age.”_ ). He also learns that the Extraterrestrial Force is like EXO’s army and, in addition to regular fight training — Joonmyun’s too terrified to ask what that is exactly — every royal is required to spend time on a foreign planet “in order to better understand intergalactic relations.” 

He blanches at the fact that this weird alien study abroad period lasts more than half a year but is reassured once again that he will be compensated for his time.

When he admits with a strange sense of shame that his life isn’t that exciting, that Baekhyun probably won’t learn much about humans being with him given how little time Joonmyun spends with them himself, the alien explains that he has devoted much time to studying Earth and should require minimal supervision. The goal of the program is to survive on a foreign planet.

The alien boy tackles him into another hug when he finally, hesitantly agrees to being his “human companion.”

 

By the time they’re done talking, it’s past midnight. Baekhyun is excited by the prospect of preparing for bed and going to sleep on “human time.” The pajamas Joonmyun offers him fit well, and he sashays around the living room, admiring the fabric.

“Well done human, the blue looks good on me” he says cheekily, running his long fingers over the satin fabric. “Your taste in clothes is much better than your appalling taste in footwear.”

Joonmyun’s too tired to decide if he should be embarrassed or insulted, so he just leads Baekhyun to the guest bedroom, never used, so the sheets are clean and ready to go.  

Baekhyun seems just as unfamiliar with beds as he is with couches, explaining that people on his planet sleep upright in cocoon-like containers called mega-pods. The older man has to stop the alien from biting into the pillows or attempting to take the mattress apart.

Once he’s sure Baekhuyn won’t try and rip out any springs, he crosses the hall and practically dives into his own bed, falling asleep the minute his head hits the pillow.    

 

 

But the blissful rest doesn’t last.

He’s awoken in the middle of the night by an incessant prodding at his temple, blinking sleepily up at Baekhyun, whose hovering over him with a fierce case of bedhead and a disgruntled expression.

“It is not safe. The horizontal mega-pod tried to eject me.”

It takes a moment for Joonmyun’s foggy brain to catch up.

“You fell off the bed?” He slurs blearily. 

“It is not _safe_ ,” the alien hisses. “That ‘bed’ has clearly declared it is hostile to me. You appear to have full control of your ‘bed.’ I have no choice but to stay here so you can protect me, that is a companion’s duty.”

Joonmyun’s closing his eyes halfway through the alien’s rant, too tired to protest or try and make him see reason. He doesn’t give Baekhyun a response, just makes a weak attempt at scooting over before falling back into sleep.  

A sleep that turns out to be short-lived and difficult, as Baekhyun, seemingly unused to sleeping on such a large surface and having to share the space with another body, sleeps like a snoring, pink starfish doubling as an annoying nightlight that _never_. _shuts_. _off_.

Joonmyun wakes up several times with the alien’s arms or hair or feet in his face and then has the hardest time falling back asleep because of his glow.

Around four in the morning, it gets even worse when he’s roused by the force of Baekhyun latching his arm around Joonmyun’s waist, scrambling half on top of him and staying that way for the rest of the night, impossible to dislodge and drooling into his shirt.

 

 

The next day, they go shopping, buying double the amount of everything now that Joonmyun effectively has a roommate.

The older man is sleepy, dragging himself from store to store and barely mustering the strength to keep Baekhyun in check.

The metro ride to the mall is even more trying than bed sharing.

Joonmyun had tried his best to explain beforehand that it might be an overwhelming experience, with the massive crowds and the loud sounds of the trains in such a small space.

But Baekhyun had just scoffed, telling Joonmyun in that sassy tone he was beginning to recognize that he was a _prince_ and that _princes were not afraid of anything_.

 

That bravado lasts all of three minutes until Baekhyun witnesses an actual train barreling toward them and molds himself to Joonmyun like a terrified koala, practically vibrating in fear.

It’s the dim lighting in the station and the total darkness of the tunnels that seem to really get to him, and he won’t let up the entire time, forcing Joonmyun to drag him along into an empty car and scrambling into his lap the moment they sit down.

Joonmyun ignores the bewildered stares of the few other passengers in favor of seeing to Baekhyun’s breakdown. He feels oddly guilty, chiding himself for not realizing that bringing a light alien into this space would be a bad idea.

And the elder’s reassurances seem to do little to comfort Baekhyun, who trembles with each jerk and rumble, mumbling about “under-Earth death traps” and “human companion protectors” into Joonmyun’s neck.

Thankfully, once they get out right in front of the shopping complex, Baekhyun’s mood is instantly lifted, fear completely forgotten. 

Joonmyun hasn’t been to the mall in years, preferring to buy things online or out of catalogs. But he doesn’t have much time to compare how the place’s changed since his last visit, too busy shuffling after Baekhyun, who runs gleefully from store to store.

Shopping is a whirlwind of emotion and activities for Joonmyun: the main emotion being mortification and the main activity being apologizing.

 

He has to apologize for a lot of things.

Baekhyun walking in on someone changing in a fitting room (and proceeding to insult her shoes).

Baekhyun attempting to leave the candy store with a slab of toffee in his robes.

Baekhyun serenading the woman at the makeup counter with an impromptu sing-along to the old Girls Generation song blaring from the mall speakers.

In actuality the last incident doesn’t require an apology. Baekhyun, as it turns out, is an amazing singer, even if the performance is thrown off by bad attempts to execute the dance routine and make sexy eyes at the growing audience.

Joonmyun doesn’t intervene, first too blown away by the sound of the alien’s voice and then oddly flustered by the wink Baekhyun tosses his way, eyes shining and rimmed with freshly applied eyeliner.  

(Baekhyun is particularly smug afterwards, basking in cheers from the crowd that’s gathered by the time he’s done, and Joonmyun snaps out of his trance, grumpily tugging the alien away.

“How do you even know Girls Generation?”

“They are goddesses among humans.”)

 

 

On Sunday, a day Joonmyun normally uses to do extra work for the office, his attempts to either be productive or catch up on rest after another night of stressful bed sharing are thwarted by Baekhyun begging for a walk around the city.

Dressed in his brand new clothes, Baekhyun makes it about three blocks before he’s distracted by the sight of a dog park.

“I know what these are!” he screeches, rushing over to the enclosing fence.

“ _Really?_ That’s a first.”

Joonmyun doesn’t know how much incorrect information Baekhyun’s instructors taught him about humans during his training. But he’s starting to see that the prince probably hadn’t been paying enough attention in his classes for it to matter anyway.

“I will have you know I was a studious pupil, and I took my Earth studies very seriously, _Joonmyun hyung_ ,” Baekhyun huffs.

(The older man had begged the prince to use his name, getting one too many strange looks and not knowing how to explain “human companion” to people without sounding insane.)

“I just get distracted easily,” Baekhyun continues slyly, swatting playfully at Joonmyun’s butt when the older man moves forward to open the gate.

Joonmyun feels his face flush, suddenly-clumsy fingers fumbling with the gate latch.

He’s surprised by how easy the banter is, how natural each touch feels. Baekhyun, he’s starting to see, is very comfortable around people, even with his limited knowledge of Earth.

He’s constantly confused and fascinated by Joonmyun’s human way of life but hasn’t once treated him like some freak under observation.

He’s eager to learn, open and amiable — maybe a little _too_ amiable.

Joonmyun’s blush resurfaces as he tries not to think about Baekhyun’s flirty behavior, how much the alien knows and doesn’t know about _that_ particular part of human studies.

“Truly, I know much about this human phenomenon. It was one of my best subjects,” the prince says, beginning to chatter excitedly as they enter the park and a small black terrier bounds over, barking up at them.

As for his part, Joonmyun marvels at the reactions Baekhyun manages to pull out of him, how comfortable he finds himself around a stranger, a whole-other-species stranger.

It’s taken him all of one day to get over the fact that Baekhyun is an alien. He doesn’t ignore it — he can’t — it just doesn’t seem like a big deal.

“It is a practice unfortunately foreign to us on EXO planet,” Baekhyun is saying, rousing Joonmyun from his thoughts. “Humans keep these ‘pet’ creatures in their homes for companionship.”

He kneels down to pick the terrier up experimentally, grinning wide when it licks at his fingers.

“They are akin to human children except they possess more hair and longer tails,” he says, rubbing his cheek against the dog’s fur, seemingly testing the texture.

“Like children, they cannot survive without a caretaker who must provide food, water, and shelter and constant _love and affection and pets!_ ”

He squeaks out the last part, squeezing the pup in his arms so hard it starts thrashing.

“Whoa, easy!” Joonmyun scrambles to loosening a bewildered Baekhyun’s hold on the startled dog.

He takes it from him and sets it down, making himself comfortable on the ground, gesturing for Baekhyun to join him.

“You can’t give them pets too hard. You might hurt them,” he explains, scratching at the pup’s belly when it rolls over. “And you know, dogs can be used for more than just companionship. They help us do many important jobs and can even be trained to hunt other animals or protect people.”

Baekhyun nods along, watching Joonmyun with wide eyes, seemingly paying attention to the older man’s explanations for the first time since he got here.

He leans forward to mimic the motion of Joonmyun’s hand on the dog’s tummy. The puppy’s leg twitches in response, and it exposes more of its belly.

Baekhyun gives a surprised giggle, glancing up at Joonmyun with eyes crinkled in happiness, and Joonmyun chuckles back weakly, pushing away the sudden, churning feeling in his gut.

_That’s one Baekhyun-induced reaction he’d rather avoid._

  

 

Looking back, his brilliant lecture about the multiple functions of dogs in human society may have backfired, and, come Monday, he learns the perils of both making vague explanations and leaving Baekhyun home alone.

He’s in the middle of taking off his work jacket when what he sees in the doorway to his bedroom nearly gives him a heart attack.

“What is going on here, Baekhyun?!” he screeches, momentary surprise giving way to horror as he bounds into the room.

 The prince glances up from where he’s lying spread eagle on Joonmyun’s bed.

“Joonmyun! Hyung! Human companion! We are in the middle of a crisis: I ate all of the sweet frozen treat inside the cold machine in your kitchen today, and it would not produce anymore. You must fix the contraption immediately; I have decided it shall be my sole sustenance during my Earth stay. Get it to make the white and pink kind-…”

Joonmyun doesn’t respond to Baekhyun’s babbling, too preoccupied by what’s all over his bed.

No less than a dozen dogs, all corgis of different shapes, sizes, and colors, crammed onto the mattress.

A couple have buried themselves under his blanket, yipping and scuffing around, some are chewing on what look like pairs of Joonmyun’s socks, and two bigger corgis toward the foot of the bed are playing tug of war with his pillow.

A feeble attempt to take it from them just makes them pull harder, and Joonmyun groans in exasperation, bringing his hands to his face.

“What is this? Baekhyun? Where in the world did you find so many corgis?”

“…what?”

“ _So many corgis!_ Baekhyun, where did you find them? Why did you bring them here?”

“Ooh! Well, the corgi is the superior canine type, befitting a royal,” Baekhyun informs him proudly, sitting up and pulling a sleepy pup into his lap. “I have chosen a lucky few to be my pet companions.”

“I spent all day scouring the city to find the best of the best. I found this one right outside the building,” the alien tells Joonmyun, indicating the corgi in his lap, “and that one at the dog park and that one with a woman outside of a doorway and-…”

_Oh my god._

“And just _what_ are you planning to do with them?” Joonmyun interrupts, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I will lead them.”

“Lead them _where?_ Baekhyun! You stole all these dogs!”

“How dArE-?? I did no such thing! They agreed to come with me,” the alien gasps, clutching at the corgi now awake and trying to slip out of reach.

“Besides it was you who said humans use pets to hunt things and protect them. And that is why I need them — I am building an army. I will train them and take them back to my planet,” he finishes matter-of-factly, crossing his hands over his chest in imitation of Joonmyun.

The dog in his lap wiggles free with a bark.

“Baekhyun, we have to find their owners and return them,” Joonmyun explains hurriedly, making to herd the yipping bunch off his bed and toward the living room. “You can’t just steal people’s dogs. You can get in real trouble.”

“No!” Baekhyn grabs the puppy closest to him, holding it to his chest as he scrambles to get off the bed.

“They are mine now. No.” He keeps the squirming dog away from Joonmyun, who sighs in exasperation, attempting to wrestle the pup out of Baekhyun’s grasp as the other twists away. 

“No. They have sworn their allegiance to me. _No!_ ” Joonmyun uses his strength and whatever height difference he has on Baekhyun to his advantage, managing to yank the corgi away.

Luckily each dog turns out to have a tag with a phone number or an address, which makes it easy, although no less awkward, to contact every owner and give them a vague explanation about finding their runaway dog on the street.

He spends a good hour on the phone, giving directions to his apartment and lecturing Baekhyun on the morals of stealing.

The prince refuses to help, sulking in the corner and shutting himself in Joonmyun’s bedroom the moment the first owner arrives to claim his dog.

 

Baekhyun’s attempt to create a cat army a few days later is even more of a disaster, and Joonmyun ends up spending the afternoon in the bathroom, cleaning and bandaging the deep scratches on Baekhyun’s hands as the prince whines and whimpers, tear-stained face turned in a miserable pout. 

 

 

A few weeks into Baekhyun’s visit, Joonmyun gets him a part time job, having learned from the dog and cat incidents that leaving Baekhyun home alone doesn’t end well.

It’s an easy job at Lu Han’s record store, which is great because Baekhyun will be under Lu Han’s constant supervision and terrible because it requires Baekhyun to actually meet Lu Han.

About two minutes into introductions, Joonmyun realizes he’s made a terrible mistake.

Baekhyun behaves oddly, eyeing Lu Han with an uncharacteristically cold gaze when Joonmyun throws his arm around Lu Han’s waist and introduces him as his best friend.

He wastes no time in spilling his secret, telling the Chinese man haughtily that he is _royalty_ and that he _glows_. He even demonstrates his power, producing a ball of light and having it dance around Joonmyun’s head.

Lu Han is incredulous and then freaked out for all of three seconds before he deems this ‘the coolest thing that’s ever happen to a loser like Joonmyun’ and proceeds to flirt up a storm.

“So, where has Joonmyunnie been hiding an _extra_ -fine cutie like you?” he asks with a smarmy grin, and Baekhyun immediately softens, offering Lu Han a small smile.

Joonmyun rolls his eyes, putting a protective hand on the small of the prince’s back.

“Leave him alone, Lu Han. He’s here for a learning experience, for you to teach him what it’s like to have a human job. Not for you to sexually harass him.”

“Sexually? _Sex??_ Ahh, the human mating process!” Baekhyun gasps, glancing excitedly between Lu Han and Joonmyun. “We studied this in my preparatory program. It was another one of my best subjects,” he adds as an unnecessary side note, wiggling his eyebrows at Joonmyun.

“Tell me, which one of you prefers to ‘top’ in the sexual paradigm?”

“ _What?_ ” Joonmyun voice shoots up an octave as he feels heat flood his face. “No! Baekhyun, no, I was just nagging. We’re just friends,” he scrambles to explain over the sound of Lu Han’s obnoxious laughter. “No one is mating with anyone!”

“Do not encourage him!” he hisses at his lame-excuse of a best friend, keeled over with laughter. 

“Aww, c’mon Joonmyunnie, isn’t this supposed to be a _learning_ _experience_ for Baekkie?” Lu Han teases, wiping at the tears gathered in his eyes and throwing himself at Joonmyun.

“Enough, both of you,” he huffs, swatting him away.

“Don’t you have paperwork to fill out for _Baekkie_ , Lu Han?” He shoos the older man toward the back room. “We need to get going soon.”

Lu Han gives another chuckle, turning to go.

“By the way,” he tosses off-handedly over his shoulder, words directed at a confused Baekhyun. “Joonmyun does.”

And Joonmyun drops his head on the counter with a painful thud, covering his red face before Lu Han can even finish his sentence.

“Joonmyunnie definitely prefers to top.”

“Tree of Life give me strength,” he mumbles weakly, yelping when Lu Han swats at his butt playfully before disappearing into the back room.

Baekhyun’s oddly silent watching the whole exchange — no laughing or teasing.

When Joonmyun glances up at him, he catches the prince eyeing him curiously.

But when he clears his throat awkwardly, Baekhyun seems to snap out of it, face pinking adorably as he turns to stare intently at a stack of albums.

Joonmyun chuckles in spite of himself.

“What?”

“Your cheeks match your hair,” he pokes at one playfully, trying to chase away his embarrassment.

That only makes the prince blush harder, and Joonmyun has to look away, turning to flip through a stack of albums himself, ignoring how loud his heart is beating in the awkward silence.

 

  

Baekhyun, adaptable and always curious, settles into human life perfectly.

He loves his job at the record store, coming home humming a different tune every day, sometimes carrying an album he blasts on the stereo for weeks, Joonmyun returning from the office to the prince screeching out Girls Generation lyrics at the top of his lungs.

But having Baekhyun around doesn’t just add noise into Joonmyun’s life.  

All of the holidays he’d previously ignored, all of the concerts, shows, and trips he’d usually sacrifice for doing extra work are experienced with Baekhyun, who whines until he gets his way, ultimately able to get Joonmyun to do just about anything. 

They explore the city each night after work, Joonmyun seeing many things for the first time, despite having lived here all his life.

They take trips to different museums, amusement parks, and the local zoo. (They only visit that once. Baekhyun stands in front of the lion display for way too long, staring wide-eyed at the baby cubs and mumbling something about ‘big cats’ until a nervous Joonmyun drags him away.)   

They try different restaurants and cafes so Baekhyun can taste as much human food as possible, and Joonmyun can’t resist buying the prince ice cream, his favorite, at every opportunity. 

A few weeks into month three, Baekhyun gets sick. The weather took nasty turn, but Joonmyun’s warnings about jackets and drafts had fallen on deaf ears.

Joonmyun swears that were it any other alien prince, the flu wouldn’t be any big deal, but Baekhyun becomes convinced that he’s dying.

There’s hysterics, and dramatic coughing fits, and incessant whining for cuddles, which Baekhyun insists lower his temperature and which Joonmyun is sure raise his.

He takes time off work and spends the weekend running out in the torrential downpour for chicken noodle soup, fluffing pillows and searching for blankets, and massaging Baekhyun’s stomach when he can’t keep anything down.

But despite the major inconvenience, watching the sniffly alien drift off one night, he’s hit with the realization that he’s so happy. 

Has been ever since Baekhyun crash landed on his couch so many weeks ago.

He’s always been a caretaker, having a natural protective instinct and needing someone to watch over. If he’s honest with himself, romantic relationships in his life have been few and far in between, and, even though he has his group of friends, the past couple of years — with a new senior-level promotion and a heavy workload at the firm — have made him steadily miserable.

In classic Joonmyun behavior, he’s refused to let any unhappiness show, not to his coworkers, not to his family, not even to friends like Lu Han.

His solution had been more work. The later he came home, the less time he had to dwell on how empty his apartment felt. The more tired he was, the less he had to deal with that creeping sense of loneliness and boredom.

As cliché as it all sounds (and Joonmyun is _very_ aware of how cliché it sounds), this one-man alien invasion is kind of the best thing that could have happened to him. And he’s so thankful, to Baekhyun for bringing much needed light into his life and to the universe for dumping this strange creature in his lap.

 

 

But he’s a little less thankful a few weeks later, standing outside a shady-looking dance club in the city center, music blaring so loud from inside the whole block can hear it. 

When Baekhyun had practically shoved the club’s flier in Joonmyun’s face that afternoon, he’d been very hesitant to go.

And he’d been _so close_ to finally telling the prince no ( _at least that’s what he convinced himself_ ).

And had a good reason to do so after the latest _incident_.  ( _“Baekhyun, you took another puppy, didn’t you?” “No I didn’t.” “Baekhyun! I know you’ve hidden him, I can see your coat is moving.” “No you can’t!”_ ).

Besides this kind of place has never been his scene, and he’s a little concerned about how he’s going to explain Baekhyun glowing like a disco ball to all of the people in such a crowded, dark club.

But the strobe lights seem to mask any odd effect, and he finds most of the people are so preoccupied with the mouths of their bottles or the mouths of their dates, it’s unlikely anyone would notice anything strange at all.

As soon as they make it in, Baekhyun drags him to the middle of the floor, pressing close and chuckling at his blush and bad attempts to sway to the heavy bass, hiding his smile in the crook of the older man’s neck. Joonmyun’s hands find their way to Baekhyun’s hips, and Baekhyun slings an arm around his shoulders. They stay like that for a couple songs. Baekhyun sashays his hips, singing along, eyes bright with mirth and sending tingles through Joonmyun’s chest. He notices quite a few people staring at them and has to fight the irrational jealousy at the way some of them eye the prince.

When he can’t take any more of tripping over his own feet and of Baekhyun’s heart-stopping smile, he pulls away, gesturing toward the bar, and the alien flashes him an even brighter grin.

The bartender glances up when they approach – a short, handsome man around their age, dressed in tight jeans and a dark, mesh shirt. He shoots them a gummy smile when they make their way over.

“Evening, bartender. I am called Baekhyun. What is your name?” Baekhyun chirps, saddling up to the bar and seizing up the man behind it. “I have come here wishing to partake in the full dance club experience. Give me your alcohols.”

“I’m Xiumin,” the man answers, seemingly unfazed by Baekhyun’s words. Joonmyun briefly wonders just how many strange customers this man serves every day. “It’s nice to meet you, Baekhyun-shi. What kind of alcohol would you like?”

“Um, two rum and cokes, please,” Joonmyun cuts in, coming up to lean against the bar himself. Xiumin nods, smiling at Joonmyun and reaching for bottles under the counter.

“And what are you called?” Xiumin asks, eyeing him up and down.

Before he can answer, Baekhyun perks up beside him.

“Oh, yes, this is my-” Joonmyun winces, waiting for the ever-awkward ‘human companion’, but the prince catches himself just in time, “-Joonmyun.”

“My Joonmyun,” he repeats, peeking up at Joonmyun, who returns Xiumin’s nod with a polite smile.

“On the house, Joonmyun,” Xiumin says when he’s done mixing their drinks, waving away his card with a wink. Joonmyun feels his cheeks heat up at the gesture. Beside him, Baekhyun sniffs curiously at his glass.

“Is this your first time, Joonmyun? I haven’t seen you here before.”

“This place must be packed every night,” Joonmyun says with an awkward laugh, taking a sip of his drink and trying not to stare openly at Xiumin’s shirt, which hides nothing of his toned chest. “You remember everyone that comes in?”

“No, not everyone. But I’d remember you.”

The sounds of Baekhyun coughing give Joonmyun a chance to hide his blush as he turns to pat the prince on the shoulder. Baekhyun waves away his concerns, making a disgusted face and pushing the drink away.

He jumps off the stool and yells something about more dancing before bouncing off into the crowd. Joonmyun keeps one eye on the prince, uneasy about leaving him alone, and turns the rest of his attention to Xiumin.

“Is your friend okay?”  

“Yes, I think he is, actually, and, um…yes, I’ve never been here before. Don’t have much time for it. I’m a lawyer and our firm’s been growing so fast lately, all I seem to do is work.”

Xiumin’s face lights up at that. “I’m studying law at Seoul University, first semester.”

“Oh, my alma mater. God, I miss that place sometimes. The building, not the classes.”

Xiumin chuckles, reaching to refill Joonmyun’s drink. “The architecture is beautiful. I’ve noticed it myself, very well-designed.”

“You could almost say it’s f _law_ -less,” Joonmyun quips lamely, wincing internally the minute the words leave his mouth.

“Punny,” Xiumin sounds unimpressed, but his eyes are sparkling as he leans across the bar, closer to Joonmyun, who finds himself leaning forward too, a little mesmerized.

“Wanna tell me more of those? There’s a school mixer coming up, be my-“

“Joonmyun!”

The shrillness of Baekhyun’s voice and his sudden appearance startles both of them, and Joonmyun turns to see the prince looking agitated, hands on his hips. “I want to leave.”

Baekhyun’s distressed tone shoots an immediate surge of protectiveness through Joonmyun, and he stands up, reaching for the prince.

“Are you alright? Did something happen? What’s wrong?”

Baekhyun doesn’t answer, doesn’t look at him or Xiumin, just turns and stalks out of the club so fast Joonmyun has to practically run to keep up with him.

He won’t answer any of Joonmyun’s increasingly-frantic questions until they’ve made it a block away, when he shakes off Joonmyun’s attempt to check him for any injuries, rounding on him instead.

“What was the bartender asking you?”

“What?”

“What were you going to say back to him?”

“Um, he…he wanted me to be his date, I think?” Joonmyun feels lost, staring incredulously at Baekhyun, whose eyes bore into his, searching for something.

The longer they keep their gazes locked, the more the confusion fades, until-…oh.

_Oh._

“That was it, yes.” The prince is always the one throwing him off-kilter, and it’s a heady feeling, turning the tables. Joonmyn draws the next two words out, feels sparks fly in his gut. “I’m his date.”

“No, you’re _my_ Joonmyun!” Baekhyun snaps, then flushes red, all the way to the tips of his ears. “I-I mean my human companion.”

He huffs, turning away and resuming his quick pace; Joonmyun walks along beside him.

“He’s a lawyer,” he lets slip casually a few moments later.

“A lawyer?” Baekhyun scoffs. “I’m a prince!”

“You are,” Joonmyun responds amused, too amused. “What does that have to do with anything?”

The prince freezes, momentarily lost.

“Nothing, of course.” He resumes walking, and Joonmyun increases his pace to keep up.

“I think dating a lawyer seems appropriate, all things considered” he continues. “Xiumin seemed very well-mannered.”

“Boring, more like,” Baekhyun grumbles. “And his alcohols were _disgusting_.”

Joonmyun has to repress a chuckle at that, hiding his smile behind his sleeve.

“Besides, why would you want to be with a lawyer? The same? You should be with someone different.”

He catches Baekhyun’s arm, tugging to turn the younger man toward him. He can’t help the happy grin stretching across his face, funny feeling squirming in his stomach.

“If I didn’t know any better, Prince Baekhyun,” he says, taking in Baekhyun’s pink ears, flushed cheeks, and stepping closer to the warmth. “I’d say you were jealous.”

Baekhyun juts his chin out loftily, even though the blush doesn’t go away. “Princes do not get jealous.”

“And you,” he huffs, poking sharply at Joonmyun chest, “have a duty to show me the ways of this planet. How are you going to do that if you’re spending all of your time with _Xiumin_?”

Joonmyun’s grin just gets wider, watching the other fidget, and he can’t help but move closer, even as Baekhyun steps back.

“No you’re right. I couldn’t date Xiumin,” he says, voice soft across the shortened distance between them, catching the prince’s hand in his and moving closer still.

“I have to be yours after all.”

“Y-yes, mine.”

Joonmyun watches the way Baekhyun’s eyes darken, the way he licks his lips.

“Hmm, all yours.”

He hears Baekhyun’s breath catch just as the prince’s back hits the wall, and the motion pulls him back. He realizes for the first time where they are, in front of their building, and feels his own cheeks heat up.

“We-uh…we’d better head in.” He pulls back, voice cutting through the silence as he clears his throat awkwardly.

It takes Baekhyun longer to snap out of it, looking slightly dazed as he moves to follow Joonmyun, uncharacteristically mute all the way up to their flat.

 

 

Their relationship changes after that night. It’s subtle, but palpable. Joonmyun’s more protective, Baekhyun’s touchier, and they’re both closer than before. It thrills Joonmyun to think about and makes him want to open up more. 

But he still debates for a good while before suggesting this visit, before sharing this part of himself with Baekhyun.

As he anticipates, Baekhyun meeting Joonmyun's grandmother is an ordeal. 

Mostly because the older man doesn't know how to handle so much sass in one house.

His grandmother is easily his favorite person. Someone who's always loved him unconditionally, never asking him to prove himself. She’d been the one he came to after he fought with his mother about attending music school over law school, with his father when he’d caught him kissing Zhang Yixing in his bedroom freshman year.

He gushes to Baekhyun about her, and the prince is endearingly shy to meet her, peeking from behind Joonmyun's back when she opens the door.

Baekhyun gets a hug and Joonmyun a swat.

"You never call me."

“ _Ooohhhh-_ …”

"I called you last week!"

"Hush now. Baekhyun, come inside, dear. Dinner's on the table."

"Thank you, grandmother of-...grandmother."

"What a handsome young man, my, my. But so skinny – what has Joonmyun-ah been feeding you?"

“Well, actually…”

“We eat well!”

 

Dinner is wonderful. Joonmyun hadn't realized how much he'd missed his grandmother, her warmth, her voice, and her food. 

He ends up the waiter for their meal, mostly because he refuses to let his grandmother lift a finger, and after waiving off her protests, he ends up cleaning up afterwards too.

The other two retreat to the living room, and he hears Baekhyun’s uproarious laughter start a few seconds later and hurries with the dishes, sure whatever is making Baekhyun laugh is something personally embarrassing.

Sure enough when he emerges from the kitchen, his grandmother has an old photo album on her lap and Baekhyun is flipping through the pages gleefully.

“…He loved that bunny costume and would kick up a fuss when I made him take it off for school every morning.”

“Yah, what are you saying? I remember no such thing!” He plops down in between them with a mock huff, and his grandmother reaches over to ruffle his hair.

The go through the album, each picture – a bald baby Joonmyun at the beach, him and Lu Han posing awkwardly before high school homecoming – accompanied by a story that makes all of them laugh, even Joonmyun, in spite of himself.

He doesn’t miss his grandmother watching Baekhyun and him – how Baekhyun sits with his shoulder pressed to Joonmyun’s, the way he leans into Joonmyun when he laughs. She sends a few knowing glances his way, but he flushes and just flips to a new photo each time.

 

They stay for the night and all of Saturday because Joonmyun insists he run errands and do household chores. Baekhyun helps and gets a little overzealous, making it some kind of competition to see who can get the most thank-you hugs. Joonmyun’s grandmother totally favors him. It’s not fair.

His grandmother retires early Saturday night, enveloping Baekhyun in another hug. Joonmyun follows her into the hallway.

"Halmeoni, are you eating okay? Are you seeing the doctor regularly? When I called him, he said you missed your last appointment."

"Yah, don't worry so much," she chides, reaching up to cup his face gently. She examines him for a long moment, brushing a lock of hair out of his face.

"My Joonmyun-ah, so grown up. I remember when you were just a little boy, hopping around this house like a bunny.” Joonmyun chuckles, ducking his head sheepishly.

“Thank you, halmeoni. For everything.”

“There’s nothing to thank me for. I love being your grandmother. You've grown into a fine young man, Joonmyun."

His grandmother presses a kiss to his forehead, and he wraps his arms around her.

“Sleep well, Joonmyun-ah.”

“Sleep well, halmeoni.”

He watches her as she retreats to her room, turning to head back into the living room only to find Baekhyun watching him from the doorway.   

“What is the famous expression? ‘Grandmother’s boy?’”

Joonmyun rolls his eyes, but Baekhyun’s grin is fond and he surprises Joonmyun by pecking him on the cheek as he tugs him back into the living room. They plop back onto the couch, credits from some old movie rolling the background. 

Joonmyun doesn’t notice tiredness overtaking him until he ends up falling asleep there. He’s slumped into Baekhyun, no longer paying attention to the movie, and the other shifts to pull him across his lap. The prince’s hand moves to Joonmyun’s hair, stroking softly. 

Joonmyun tries to stay awake, pay attention, but the added sensation of Baekhyun’s fingers in his hair feels just _amazing_ , his ministrations lulling the older man to sleep.

“So soft,” Joonmyun hears Baekhyun mumble quietly. 

“Hmm? Whass-soft?” he slurs blearily, more than half-asleep already.

Baekhyun clucks soothingly. “Joonmyun’s hair, Joonmyun.” 

Joonmyun doesn’t even try to respond, succumbing to a deep sleep. He dreams of long fingers combing through his hair and soft lips pressing kisses to his forehead, forgetting it all by morning.

 

 

In the summer, they go on camping trips and long weekends at the beach, more things Joonmyun hasn’t done in years.

On their first trip to the shore, Baekhyun drags Joonmyun into the water and keeps him there so long, they’re both burned all over in a matter of hours. He makes bad quips about the sun frying Joonmyun’s hair blonde, challenges Joonmyun to swimming races, and cackles at the older man when he’s toppled by a wave, coming up a wet, spluttering mess.

Joonmyun retaliates by lunging at Baekhyun, dunking his head under and starting a water fight that leaves them both breathless with exertion and laughter.

That evening, they walk along the beach at sunset, gathering seashells. Baekhyun darts in and out of the water like an excited puppy, pausing to gape at the sun slipping lower. Joonmyun watches him fondly for a while till he’s caught, clearing his throat awkwardly and bringing up the alien’s sunny obsession to distract him.

“Does it have to do with your special ability? Is that why you like the sun so much?” he asks.  

“Because I wield its power, I am sustained by light: my mood and wellbeing. When I became ill in those first few weeks, it was partly due to not being around the sun enough” Baekhyun explains as they resume walking along the shore. Joonmyun thinks back on the nasty bout of rain the city had experienced, thunderstorms raging for days.

“I cannot help it in a way,” Baekhyun continues. “It is almost a natural instinct. I am strongly attracted to things that are sun-like, bright and warm and s-”

He cuts off, eyes darting to Joonmyun then away, cheeks pinking.

“Warm and what?” Joonmyun asks, trying to be helpful, bewildered by Baekhyun’s sudden reaction, by the way the alien ducks his head.

“…warm and soft,” Baekhyun finishes quietly, speaking to the sandy ground, voice barely audible to Joonmyun, carried away by the wind.

The tips of his ears have gone red, and his fingers fidget with the shells in his hand.

Joonmyun’s still completely confused about the sudden shift between them, but he quickly tries to lighten the mood.

“I think it’s your brain that’s gone soft from being out in the sun for too long,” he quips, nudging Baekhyun with his shoulder, using his weight to push the younger man closer and closer to the water playfully until the alien barks out a laugh and pushes back.   

 

 

There isn’t a single moment, not one particular instance during those six months that he can dub the moment he fell in love.

But, there does come a time when it gets harder and harder to sleep next to Baekhyun each night, without wanting to curl closer, to reach over and-…

When all the things he’s memorized, tucked into his heart about Baekhyun threaten to make it burst out of his chest. 

When seeing Baekhyun happy, being on the receiving end of that smile, becomes the most important thing.

 

 

The weight of these feelings, makes Baekhyun’s last week even more difficult to get through.

Joonmyun anticipates its arrival with a deep dread he won’t think on. Not wanting to admit that when Baekhyun leaves he will break Joonmyun’s heart. He doesn’t ask Baekhyun to stay, knows it’s not possible having heard him talk about his royal obligations, what people expect from him, how many are counting on him. 

Despite Joonmyun’s efforts, his attempts to pretend nothing is wrong, tension flares between them as the week progresses and culminates in an intense argument, the worst they’ve had, one day after Joonmyun returns from work early with the intention of spending a long afternoon together.

Joonmyun’s gloomy and irritated before he even steps through their door, and it’s not long till an offhand comment by Baekhyun about having one more day left has him lashing out.  

They’re yelling, angry words reverberating off the walls.

“I wish you’d never come here,” Joonmyun spits out and watches Baekhyun’s face crumple.

He wants to take it back the moment he says it but manages to hold on to enough anger to push himself back out the door. He leaves with the vague intention of spending the night at Lu Han’s but can only bring himself to stay away for a couple of hours, pushed home by guilt over his words and panic over losing precious time with Baekhyun.

The apartment is quite and dark when he steps over the threshold again. He makes his way to the bedroom without flipping the light switch. Baekhyun is curled up on the bed, his soft glow the only source of light in the room.    

“Baekhyun,” he calls softly, immediately noting with another dash of guilt that Baekhyun is crying. He nears the bed and sits on its edge, reaching to run a soothing hand along Baekhyun’s back, feeling it contract and tremble with quite sobs.

The guilt jabs painfully against Joonmyun’s ribs. 

“Baekhyun, I’m so sorry” Joonmyun whispers. The alien’s shoulders shake even harder.

Joonmyun has never felt more miserable, regret and heartache and love—the one emotion he couldn’t bring himself to name, the one he freely owns up to now—cutting his insides to shreds. 

“What I said earlier, I was just lashing out. You reminded me that-…that you’re leaving, and I just couldn’t take the thought,” he pushes the words out, and they feel like some kind of confession.

“I don’t want-..I don’t know what I’m going to-…” he stops to collect himself, tongue-tied. 

“I didn’t mean any of what I said. I am so sorry,” he pauses to let the words hang there. “I don’t want our last few days to go like this. I don’t want you to leave hating me.”

Baekhyun hiccups, shaking his head furiously, and Joonmyun keeps his hand moving over his back, pausing in his words.  

“Can you forgive me?” He finally asks, words so quiet he’s sure the other man couldn’t have heard.

But the question seems to rouse Baekhyun. He sits up, facing away from Joonmyun, his gaze fixed on the window where the sun is just beginning to dip into the horizon.  

He’s silent for a moment, fingers playing nervously with the frayed edge of the blanket. When he balls them into fists, Joonmyun can see how they shake. 

“When we first learned of this planet, of its life-giving sun,” Baekhyun beings quietly, voice hoarse and wet. “I knew I would be sent here. As I said before, because I wield its power, I am attracted to light. It makes me stronger, keeps me going like food and water and rest,” he pauses, clearing his throat as he seems to think of his next words.

“But it did not take me long after I landed here to begin to realize that it was not the sun that was sustaining me.”

Baekhyun’s voice breaks, and Joonmyun feels a new pang of pain at the sound.

He waits for more, for Baekhyun to finish his explanation, but the alien doesn’t continue, staying silent for a while before turning to face Joonmyun abruptly. 

His face is pale and tearstained, and the sharp pain in Joonmyun’d chest only intensifies.

“Did you know that my Joonmyun and the sun are very similar?” 

“Me and the sun?” Joonmyun asks, distracted from the sound of his old nickname by the sight of fresh, unshed tears in Baekhyun’s eyes.

“How?” he adds, bringing his hand to Baekhyun’s face, only vaguely aware of the conversation now, focused on the need to wipe away each tear that starts to tumble free.

“Well, it is yellow, just like my Joonmyun,” the alien quips with a weak smile, eyes traveling to Joonmyun’s hair.

“You know my hair is only dyed this color, Baekhyun,” Joonmyun answers, attempting but not quite managing an eye roll, still focused on wiping Baekhyun’s tears.

“And it is strong, and warm and _so soft,_ just like my Joonmyun.”

“And it is deeply, irreplaceably dear to me,” the prince’s voice is steady and warm, despite the tears streaming down his face. “Just like my Joonmyun.”

A breathless moment passes between them, enough time for Joonmyun to acknowledge that this is going to be the best and worst thing he’s ever going to do. 

  

Joonmyun kisses him. _Hard._

He presses forward with all of the strength and passion he feels capable of, and Baekhyun responds in kind, moaning helplessly into Joonmyun’s mouth, fisting one hand in Joonmyun’s hair and the other in his shirt. When they break apart, panting, Joonmyun doesn’t go far, breathing the words into Baekhyun’s lips.

“I love you. Baekhyun, I love you,” he whispers.

He doesn’t realize he’s crying too until Baekhyun reaches up to wipe his tears away, the most beautiful smile lighting up his face.

“I love you too, so much.”

Their mouths meet again, sloppy and wet.

The prince’s hand tightens in Joonmyun’s shirt as his mouth moves to trail kisses down his throat, fingers brushing along bare skin in a silent question.

A lonely Joonmyun could never say no to Baekhyun. A Joonmyun in love won’t even think of it.

“ _Anything_ ,” he gasps out, tilting Baekhyun’s chin to meet his gaze. “Anything you want.”

Baekhyun’s eyes are smoldering, molten lava Joonmyun drowns in. 

“I want everything. All of my Joonmyun,” he answers back, mouth closing over the older man’s earlobe in a way that has him reeling, pulling Baekhyun impossibly closer.

He makes quick work of their clothes, gently coaxing the prince into the right position.

Baekhyun squirms in his lap, impatient whimpers falling from pretty lips, and Joonmyun shushes him, murmuring sweet promises into his ear as his fingers probe gently.

The first real press has Baekhyun moaning, burying his face in Joonmyun’s neck.

“I’ve-I’ve never…” his voice is breathless and it hitches on a moan when Joonmyun wraps his lips around his nipple.

He lathes attention to Baekhyun’s chest while his fingers continue their ministrations, sucking and kissing until Baekhyun gets used to the stimulation, goes slack in his hold.

“Baby, _baby_.”

Baekhyun’s eyes are hazy, lust-blown when he pulls back, angling himself over Joonmyun. He watches Baekhyun sink lower and lower, the tantalizing blush trailing from his chest up into his flushed cheeks, the curve of his lip.

For someone who claims to be new to the concept, Baekhyun is really good at this. So good, Joonmyun has to grab at his hips, slow him down to enjoy every delicious wave of pleasure that comes each time Baekhyun sinks down. He lifts his hips, meeting the prince's thrusts, until he's the one controlling their rhythm.

When he feels Baekhyun's body tense, Joonmyun grabs his chin, suddenly hungry for Baekhyun’s eyes. He keeps their gazes locked as Baekhyun’s orgasm crashes through his body, fucking him through it, watching the pleasure play out on his face.

The sight of Baekhyun’s plush mouth parted on a moan tips Joonmyun over the edge, and he curls around Baekhyun as he rides out his own release. Baekhyun presses kisses all over his face, running his fingers through Joonmyun’s hair softly.

He tugs on Joonmyun’s arm, and the other allows himself to be manhandled, cuddles close to Baekhyun, pressing his nose into the prince’s neck.

They lie there, wrapped up in each other, until Baekhyun starts to stir, mumbling something about cleaning up, and Joonmyun just pulls him closer with a possessive growl.

He won’t let him leave. Not now, not tonight.  

The next morning, they don’t bother getting dressed. Joonmyun trailing after Baekhyun through the apartment, cornering him for kisses, pressing him back into random nooks and crannies.

They order takeout and pile blankets on the couch, curling up around each other, talking about everything and nothing, soaking up each other’s presence. Joonmyun alternating between playing with Baekhyun’s hair where it’s splayed across his shoulder to pressing kisses to every part of him he can reach.

That night, Joonmyun leads Baekhyun back to their bed, pressing a whispered ‘please’ to his lips.

He lets Baekhyun work him open, urges him closer, pressing kisses to the prince’s flushed cheeks.

He fights tears and sleep as long as he can, wrapped up in Baekhyun’s arms. But he loses his battle to the second sometime while listening to Baekhyun mumble ‘I-love-yous’ into his ear and the first when he wakes up alone the next morning, apartment empty and heart hollow. 

 

 

Six months.

For six months, Joonmyun walks around as if in a haze. He confines his time to mulling around his apartment and holing himself up at work, ignoring all else, friends forgotten, plans cancelled.

He avoids seeing his coworkers, brushing off his secretary whenever she inquires after him.

He can’t avoid seeing Lu Han, who won’t allow himself to be brushed off. His presence is comforting, and Joonmyun is thankful for his friend. 

His grandmother, when he visits her, doesn’t ask any questions, just holds him in a tight hug, rubs his back soothingly as he fights against letting more tears fall.

His work becomes his coping mechanism again, except now each late night only reminds him of what he's lost, chips away at the half of his heart he still has.  

He’s on his way home from work, another late night made worse by a surprise bout of rain and thunder and the unpleasant reminder that he reluctantly agreed to go out for beers with a group of Lu Han’s friends tomorrow. 

When he flips the light switch in his living room, he's halfway into his slippers and almost misses the strange man sitting on his couch.

“Well, well, well,” the stranger practically purrs, unfazed by Joonmyun's girlish scream at the sight of him.  “you _are_ handsome…And those things are tacky.”

“Who are you?! How did you get into my apartment?!”

The man stands, extending a hand to Joonmyun.

He's around Joonmyun's hight, with kittenish features and messy mop of light brown hair. Joonmyun notices he’s dressed in a pale yellow robe, and his overworked heart gives a terrifying tremble.

“I am Prince Jongdae, heir apparent of EXO planet.”

“Prince Jong-Prince Jongdae?…Y-Your Highness, what are you doing here?” Joonmyun can feel his hands tremble as he returns the prince's handshake with an awkward bow, a strange mix of pain and hope churning in his stomach.  

Jongdae doesn’t answer, just grins, feline eyes turning sly, and Joonmyun gulps. _Yep, he can definitely see the family resemblance now._

A loud crash from the kitchen startles Joonmyun into dropping the bunny slipper still dangling from his hand. Jongdae turns in the direction of the sound, unfazed. 

Joonmyun feels his battered heart stop, stilling painfully at the sight of Baekhyun, being tugged into the room by a stocky, dark haired man in a deep green robe.

“Kyungsoo, why did we just-…”

"Just shut up and-..." 

The alien freezes  when he spots Joonmyun, the shock on his face giving way to raw emotion before he lets out a whimper, barreling into Joonmyun and almost knocking him off balance. They clutch at each other, Joonmyun pulling back to cup the prince's face, running his fingers and lips over his features, his pretty lips, his puppy eyes, his bright, pink hair, unable to believe this is happening.  

"What is this?? Love, what is this?"

Baekhyun laughs, the sound wet, his tears mirroring Joonmyun's. "I don't know. I missed you so much." 

" _Awww_ , aren't they the cutest, Kyungsoo? My heart." 

"Yes, fine, Baekhyun, Joonmyun-shi." 

Joonmyun is reluctant to tear his glance away from Baekhyun, but he glances back at the other two aliens. Kyungsoo is standing with his hands on his hips, and he attempts to shake off Jongdae, who's draped along his side, before he speaks again. 

"You have been nothing but a menace since you came back from this planet. Leave it to you to mess up a simple intergalactic training with all your emotion. The incessant pinning, the random city blackouts, attempting to put out the Two Moons, hones-"

"What our beloved brother means is the whole court has hated seeing you so unhappy, separated from your _true looovee_ ," Jongdae tosses a wink at Joonmyun and the human man blushes, pressing closer to Baekhyun. 

"MAMA has been consulted, and you have been granted free passage between the planets. We thought it would be more fun to tell you this way. Kyungsoo was hoping you'd cry."  

"Free passage?" Baekhyun stares between Joonmyun and his siblings, swiping the tears from his eyes. 

"Does that mean-?" Joonmyun clutches harder at Baekhyun's shoulders, full heart thundering out of his chest. 

"Yes, Baekhyun may stay here, just no putting out their sun or any of your other idiotic pranks." 

"Ahh, Kyungsoo, you really love me." Baekhyun tugs the shorter alien into a hug the other reluctantly returns. 

"Shut up. We're leaving." Kyungsoo nods in Joonmyun's direction before heading over to stand next to Jongdae, preparing to beam away. "If you bring Joonmyun up with you, make sure you use some extra protection force." 

Jongdae is talking again, but Joonmyun can’t seem tear his eyes from Baekhyun, who’s looking right back at him, coming back to press a kiss to his cheek. 

"It was lovely to meet you Joonmyun, and I look forward to getting to know you _much_ better." Another wink.

"Hey back off, he's mine."

Jongdae laughs and Kyungsoo rolls his eyes, their forms disappearing a moment later with a shimmering flash.

Joonmyun turns to face Baekhyun and breathes for what feels like the first time in months. The prince smiles up at him, brighter than any sunlight Joonmyun's ever seen, pressing their lips together.  

"All mine."  

 

**Author's Note:**

> -There is like nothing SciFi about this, lbr  
> -But Subaek are such an underrated ship  
> -And pink haired Baekhyun is the. cutest.  
> -Comments are always loved, just like pretty aliens that crash land in your living room.


End file.
